Early drivers and chemoprevention in squamous cell lung cancer

This project will build on our established models and collaborations and develop patient-derived models within our group to perform genotype-phenotype-drug studies on early lung cancer and dissect the mechanisms behind therapeutic vulnerability of SOX2-driven cancers.
Aim 1 is to assess the chemopreventive and therapeutic potential of novel compounds that target SOX2-driven SQC. Tool compounds used in late phase trials, as well as new compounds, will be used for drug screening in the established OTC model. Moreover, the results of those screens will be corroborated using genetic manipulations to validate targets for promising compounds.
Aim 2 is to dissect the pathobiological mechanisms associated with SOX2 deregulation in SQC. One focus will be on the link between deregulated SOX2 and AKT signalling. I will extend the mechanistic work to patient-derived organoids and clinical biopsy specimens to ensure translational relevance.